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The Travails of the Grumpy Dad on the Move

Open carry-on bag on a hotel bed with a folded silk tie, foldable shopping bag, water bottle, pen, and first-aid kit laid out neatly

Why I Always Pack a Tie I’ll Never Wear (And 6 Other Useless Things I Refuse to Travel Without)

Some of the things in my carry-on look pointless. They’ve all rescued me at least three times. Here are the 7 ‘useless’ items I…
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Quiet hotel reception desk at night with a kind receptionist looking up and a businessman walking up in soft focus

The Hotel Receptionist Who Saved My Marriage at 11 PM

It was 11 PM in Lisbon. My wife was crying on a phone call about something I couldn’t fix from 4,000 miles away. The…
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Businessman standing at an empty airport baggage carousel watching a conveyor belt circle past

Lost Luggage in Munich: A 72-Hour Comedy Without Underwear

My checked bag went to Stuttgart. I went to Munich. Three days, four meetings, and one customer dinner unfolded in the same shirt with…
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Worried businessman at an airline check-in counter looking at his phone with a suitcase beside him

The Time I Forgot My Passport at Home and Almost Missed the Plane

I had been doing international business travel for six years when I left the house without my passport. A 47-minute round-trip silence, one missed…
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Businessman sitting on a hotel bed at night holding a phone with a calm focused expression

Calling Home From a Different Time Zone Without Burning Out the Marriage

I tried the ‘one call a day’ rule for years. It nearly broke us. After a long argument across nine time zones, here’s the…
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Restrained hotel breakfast plate with eggs, fresh fruit, one slice of toast, and black coffee on a white tablecloth

Eating Healthy on the Road When the Hotel Buffet Is Fighting You

I gained 11 pounds in my first year of frequent business travel. The hotel breakfast buffet, the heavy customer dinners, the airport snacks all…
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Sleeping passenger on a long-haul flight with an eye mask, neck pillow, and blanket pulled up under soft blue cabin light

How I Sleep on Planes Without Pills (And Without Pretending It Always Works)

I used to take half an Ambien every long flight and tell myself it was fine. Then it stopped working. Here’s the boring, drug-free…
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Hotel room in early morning with a yoga mat unrolled on the carpet, a water bottle, and sneakers nearby

The 20-Minute Hotel Room Workout I Actually Do (Most Days)

I’m not a fitness influencer. I’m a dad who travels for work. Here’s the 20-minute, no-equipment hotel room workout I’ve actually done on more…
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Frankfurt skyline at dusk seen from across the Main river with old half-timbered houses in the foreground

Frankfurt: Better Than You Think, and Where to Actually Eat Between Meetings

Frankfurt has a reputation problem with American business travelers. After a dozen visits, here’s why I keep coming back — and where to actually…
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Sunny Sunday morning at the central plaza of Coyoacán in Mexico City with people walking and colorful facades

Mexico City for the Working Dad Who Has Exactly One Free Day

Mexico City is too big to ‘see’ in a free day. After a dozen trips, here’s the focused playbook for the one Sunday you’ll…
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